The Workers Party calls on the new Prime Minister to defend the International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan facing dismissal this week effectively for having gone after Netanyahu with charges of genocide.
Engineered by the US to punish Khan, a vote will take place on 24 July among the 125 states members of the ICC to decide if Khan was guilty of sexual misconduct charges made by two women. Under the internal processes of the ICC a panel of three judges back in March unanimously found the evidence provided was insufficient to prove misconduct.
Using political pressure the US and Israel have usurped proper process to ignore the judges' finding and engineer a political vote. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of State, vowed last week to dismantle the ICC "brick by brick". Khan is one of the bricks.
At stake is not just one honourable brave man's reputation and career but an entire system of international law and its applicability to the Palestine question. Unless Burnham instructs the UK representative to vote to defend Khan we will know that his apology over Gaza was meaningless, that his support for international law crumbles under pressure, that he doesn't have the courage to stand up to Trump, and that he is the unprincipled opportunistic empty windbag many already suspect.
Abstention would be abject cowardice.
This is an early defining moment for Burnham and Ed Miliband, the new Foreign Secretary, one that will be remembered for a long time. Will they flunk the first test they face?
Deputy Leader Peter Ford
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